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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28492026">Punk (Roxanne Never Got Over Her Crush on Peter Steele)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Abs0lutelyN0t/pseuds/Abs0lutelyN0t'>Abs0lutelyN0t</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Megamind (2010)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Getting Together, Inferno References (La Divina Commedia | The Divine Comedy - Dante Alighieri), MEGAMIND IN A LEATHER JACKET AHH, Megmaind was punk in high school, Other, also quite a bit of lore is based off of setepenre_sets works, im punk and goth can you tell, inspired by Tea With Topsy, lgbt main characters, please don't post on another site, punk au because i love, this is self indulgent as hell</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 16:53:55</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>16,380</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28492026</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Abs0lutelyN0t/pseuds/Abs0lutelyN0t</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Punk! AU of Megamind because I love punks and I am one.</p><p>Megamind finds his old battle jacket from his highschool punk days and decides to take it for a stroll through town- it leads to a confession from both him and Roxanne.</p><p>---</p><p>This is completely self-indulgent, just an FYI</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Megamind/Roxanne Ritchi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>59</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chains</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>full DISCLAIMER!!!!!</p><p>this is entirely self-indulgent and was mainly just me wanting to have an alien planet with fluid sex and gender bc I need to think about that right now to feel okay. Lesbian Roxanne is my Roxanne and it's just a way for me to put myself into this a little, if you don't like that, it's fine, don't worry, you can just pretend she's not.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As a teenager, Megamind was definitely what you would call punk.</p>
<p>He couldn’t do liberty spikes (for obvious reasons) but he had the patch-pants, battle jacket, torn shoes, and hatred of unjustified bullying like any -good- punk.</p>
<p>Sometimes he got mistaken as a skinhead though, so he had to clarify he was as S.H.A.R.P.- which was troublesome to explain.</p>
<p>He followed lace-code when he could afford (stole) stomp boots, and once kicked a guy who wouldn’t take no for an answer so hard in the jaw that he had to be hospitalized for a few days.</p>
<p>Now, Megamind is just a supervillain- no more studded battle jackets, no more crust pants, but he modeled his current wardrobe loosely off of it.</p>
<hr/>
<p>It had been an eventful weekend for Roxanne- digging around in city law codes to uncover the newest and oldest running town scandals- mainly in tax laws.</p>
<p>There was a rumor that one of the city’s largest law firms was committing tax fraud and a number of other money funneling crimes- ironic for the job.</p>
<p>Roxanne sat at her desk, scrolling through the city's website and jotting down anything she thought might lead her closer to figuring out exactly what was happening.</p>
<p>A perfect way to ruin her Saturday.</p>
<p>She couldn’t talk to a lawyer at risk they’d tell what she was investigating to the firm or worse- they were in on it- so she was on her own for now.</p>
<p>“Hey uh, Roxie?” </p>
<p>She mentally cringes at the name and looks up to see Hal standing in front of her desk.</p>
<p>“Yeah?”</p>
<p>He shifts, “So I know it’s totally lame but they want me to go be a cameraman for Diane, so I’ll be back later- maybe we can have coffee after? To make up for the missed time?”</p>
<p>“It’s fine Hal, don’t worry about it, I’ll see you later or tomorrow,” she says.</p>
<p>“Okay so I’ll see you later when we get coffee,” Hal presses.</p>
<p>Roxanne has to genuinely stop to prevent herself from snapping- fed up with the town's website being hard to navigate and from having to do the digging herself because no lawyer out of town she contacted would be available to work for another two days.</p>
<p>She shakes her head, “No Hal, I have to work on this.”</p>
<p>“But-” Hal starts.</p>
<p>“Hal come on, there are only three hours until my shift is over and I have to get this interview,” Diane interrupts.</p>
<p>He sighs, chest sinking in and rolling his eyes.</p>
<p>“Okay, okay. I’m coming.”</p>
<p>He glances at Roxanne again, who’s back into the website and scrolling with fever.</p>
<p>“So I guess I’ll see you for coffee tonight. Later,” He mumbles.</p>
<p>“Hal- no- and he’s gone,” Roxanne sighs.</p>
<p>She could use a day away from Hal if she’s being honest.</p>
<p>He wasn’t even scheduled to work today, he had overheard her talking to a close colleague May in the breakroom about how she’d have to come in to get some work done or else she’d lay around all day. </p>
<p>When Roxanne came into work today, Hal was already there and saying he would be up to do some interviews or record anything if she needed him to.</p>
<p>Hal could be very creepy at times, but he was a good cameraman and put in a lot of effort- even if he was blatantly doing it to impress Roxanne.</p>
<p>“Coffee does sound nice,” she mumbles, rubbing her eyes.</p>
<p>She waits 15 minutes to make sure they’re gone before she grabs her purse and leaves the station- walking to a coffee shop that’s about 10 minutes away just to get a break.</p>
<p>Trees planted along the calm roads are lovely shades of oranges and reds as they start to fall from their branches and there’s a pleasant cool breeze swirling around her as she walks to the coffeehouse a few blocks down.</p>
<p>She’s about 8 minutes into her walk when she hears a mumble in the crowd, people are glancing in the direction she’s walking.</p>
<p>Being the nosy reporter she is, she speeds up a little, trying to peek at what everyone is looking at.</p>
<p>Then she sees him.</p>
<p>Megamind is walking down the street, casual and effortlessly graceful as always, with those round sunglasses she remembers from the Woodstock pictures perched high on his nose- but they’re black and he genuinely looks good with them on.</p>
<p>He’s got on those tall platforms that make him go from 5’5’’ to a clean 6’. They look like they’re made up of leftover leather and wrap all the way up to just below his knees, tight.</p>
<p>Roxanne is pretty sure she’s seen some rather intense video on a certain website with someone wearing those.</p>
<p>His pants are his usual leather and he’s got several belts stacked around his waist- also leather.  </p>
<p>His shirt looks like it’s- wait- is that fishnet?</p>
<p>Oh my god, it is.</p>
<p>And- oh. The jacket.</p>
<p>It’s got spiked shoulders- but it’s not his usual.</p>
<p>It looks older, definitely leather, with different symbols painted on it, and genuinely long, sharp spikes protruding haphazardly on his shoulders, chains dangling around their base.</p>
<p>Roxanne almost stops- almost.</p>
<p>She went through her Peter Steele phase in highschool- albeit she stopped listening to him until after he died because she found out he was racist and just overall not a very good person.</p>
<p>But he was hot- and that grew her bad-boy taste.</p>
<p>The bad boy tastes that Megamind seemed to be teasing vehemently right now.</p>
<p>Oh god.</p>
<p>She stutters in her footsteps and barely rebalances herself before she stubs her foot on uneven pavement and falls forward.</p>
<p>Roxanne hits the ground with a smack and her purse smacks even louder.</p>
<p>At Least she didn’t scream.</p>
<p>Some people around her stop, one helps her up before scurrying off, looking past her.</p>
<p>She turns and sees Megamind behind her- of course, he is.</p>
<p>“Miss Ritchi, we meet again,” he grins.</p>
<p>She straightens out her shirt- just a loose button-up today- which now has a mystery stain from the sidewalk on it- and readjusts her purse before she responds.</p>
<p>“It seems we do. What’s up with the get-up?”</p>
<p>He grins wider, this time Roxanne dares to make eye contact.</p>
<p>“Why Miss Ritchi, you haven't even given me a once-over yet. How did you know I was wearing this?”</p>
<p>Oh, at that her face begins to heat.</p>
<p>She plays it off and rolls her eyes, “You stand out a lot normally, especially in this.”</p>
<p>He shrugs and takes off the sunglasses, holding them carelessly by the arms.</p>
<p>Oh my god is he wearing eyeliner too?</p>
<p>Yes, Roxanne, yes he is.</p>
<p>He always is.</p>
<p>You of all people should know this.</p>
<p>But it is different today.</p>
<p>“I suppose…” He trails off, inspecting her outfit.</p>
<p>She’s nowhere near as dressed up as he is, but her outfit is a little different than normal as she had no intention of being kidnapped or appearing on air.</p>
<p>She leans on one foot, “So, what are you doing in the city? You never come out here during the day.”</p>
<p>He laughs, “Oh you nosey reporter, you. I’m afraid that’s a secret. What are you doing so far from your work? An interview? I don’t see your cameraman.”</p>
<p>She shakes her head, “No, Hal is with Diane. I just wanted coffee and a break from learning about tax codes.”</p>
<p>“Tax codes?” He asks, arching a surprisingly elastic eyebrow.</p>
<p>“Yep.”</p>
<p>“For what?” </p>
<p>She smiles all teeth, “Oh you nosey villain, you. I’m afraid that's a secret. Now if you excuse me, I believe I have coffee waiting for me. Unless this is a kidnapping?”</p>
<p>His eyes gleam almost neon, “Is that a request, Miss Ritchi?”</p>
<p>She blinks before stopping the answer she wants to give.</p>
<p>In reality- kidnappings were actually pretty beneficial. </p>
<p>They kept her in the public eye, got her out of work for a while, and though she wouldn’t admit it, she kinda had fun sometimes.</p>
<p>She huffs out a scoff, “No, I just want to know if I can get my coffee or not.”</p>
<p>“Well,” he starts, mischief in his eyes, “You can always have coffee back at the lair.”</p>
<p>He’s reaching into his jacket while Roxanne is still processing that he said -lair- not hideout.</p>
<p>She blacks out after that.</p>
<hr/>
<p>The day ends with Roxanne waking up on her couch again.</p>
<p>Megamind had brought her to the lair, the scheme failed before Metroman even got involved because the device stopped working, he gave her coffee and said he’d send a note to her boss so she wouldn’t get a penalty for it- though she didn’t know how he’d save his ego to admit his scheme failed.</p>
<p>Then she woke up at home, in the dark, on her couch, with her purse on the table in front of her.</p>
<p>She ran her hand down her face and looked at her phone, 13 missed calls, 2 from her boss and the rest from Hal- who she did not remember giving her number to.</p>
<p>With a sigh she stood and walked to her bedroom, quickly slipping out of her clothes and into night pajamas before stumbling to her bed.</p>
<p>She turned her bedside lamp on and a glint of something caught her eye, Megamind's jacket.</p>
<p>The spikes caught in the light.</p>
<p>Roxanne ran a hand over it, feeling the paint and scuff marks- probably from fights or invention mishaps, she supposed.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <em> “So…” She had begun, “What’s up with the jacket?” </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> Megamind turned to face her from the machine he was working on fixing. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> He grins and wipes his hands on a towel next to him. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> “Do you like it? It’s from high-shool,” He prompts. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> Roxanne decides to answer honestly, “Kinda, yeah. It’s not as over the top as your normal clothes but still matches you.” </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> His face lights Fuschia and he grabs his coffee, drinking from it before he responds. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> “Thank you, Miss Ritchi… do let me know if you’d like one, I have a few.” </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> Roxanne's mind briefly flashes to her with his jacket around her shoulders and her on his lap- his hand down her- </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> “I’ll uh- keep that in mind,” she responds, taking a sip from her own coffee. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> She spun around a little in his high-back chair (he had let her sit in it rather than the usual chair because “Miss Ritchi is much more used to soft furniture than me, Minion. She can have my chair while I work on this- untie her for now. We’ll tie her again when it’s ready.”) </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> She watched him as he worked on the machine, apparently, he hadn’t planned on changing from this outfit to his usual one- because he was ready with the broadcast before he realized the machine wasn’t even turning on its lights. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> Roxanne brought her legs up to her chest when it began to get dark outside. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> Minion and Megamind apparently kept the lair cold, and with the sun going down it was even worse. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> Megamind notices when he struts across the lab to grab something from his toolkit, seemingly forgetting she was there for almost an hour. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> She had been silent, soaking in his low humming, the clatter of tools, the hissing of the welding gun, Minions cooking and sewing, and the music (Anthrax?) that Megamind played as he worked on his invention. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> “Ah,” he mumbled, “You’re cold. My apologies Miss Ritchi.” </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> He’s wringing a glove off before she can argue that no I’m not cold I’m just thinking of how you haven’t washed the bag in forever and she doesn’t bother stopping him because she realizes she doesn’t know if he has nails and she’d been wanting to ask for years now- she could see him like a mirage in black nail polish and fishnet gloves. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> Then he shrugs off one side of the jacket and passes the mask back and forth for a moment before he just sets it on the ground and takes off the jacket. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> His cheekbones, high and strong, are the color of Byzantium as he sets the jacket over her shoulders. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> He has nails- she notes- short off the tips of his fingers and a little jagged, but they start a little too far up his finger to look entirely human. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> “Here, I’ll only keep you here as long as you’re comfortable. Minion appreciates the company and I can’t say I particularly mind it either- just let him know when you’d like to leave and he’ll take you. My apologies for the failed plan,” he tells her. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> Her cheeks are hot to the point she can see it from the bottom of her eyes. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> “Uh- thank you… I’ll wait until he finishes his cake, I don't want him to burn it,” she mumbles. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> He nods, “Ah, of course. Such a considerate captive.” </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> She clenches her jaw as he walks to the toolkit on the other side of the room, she wonders why he didn’t have a brain bot get it instead. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> She takes the opportunity to set her mug on the arm of the chair (very cautiously as it’s not completely flat) and puts her arms through the sleeves of the jacket. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> It’s silk on the inside and incredibly warm. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> Roxanne takes another sip of her coffee and closes her eyes, leaning her head back on the chair. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> She doesn’t feel Megaminds eyes on her, a soft smile gracing his face. </em>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>She chuckles softly and shrugs the jacket on, climbing into bed.</p>
<p>A brain bot zooms in on her while she puts it on and climbs into bed before zooming off to show the footage to daddy.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Roxanne wakes up again to a light tapping on her balcony.</p>
<p>She stands and walks out of her bedroom to her living room without a second thought, only a groan and shuffling feet.</p>
<p>She rubs her eyes as she opens the door, walking into the kitchen to start coffee while Minion lets her get dressed.</p>
<p>“Sorry, I just woke up. What time is it?” She asks him.</p>
<p>The door shuts and heavy but trepid footsteps fall on her ears.</p>
<p>“Um- Excuse me, Miss Ritchi. I know you aren’t expecting me today but…” </p>
<p>Roxanne turns and sees Megamind, standing there with a closed but loose jaw, fidgeting with his hands and a blush on his face.</p>
<p>She nearly screams.</p>
<p>“Oh-Oh. Okay… Minion usually lets me get dressed and uh- makes or brings me breakfast if it’s this early… sorry,” she tells him, “I’ll be back in a second, let me finish this and I’ll grab a cup to bring my coffee.”</p>
<p>He nods real jerky and swallows hard, Roxanne barely hears it as she pours water into the coffee maker.</p>
<p>She turns and goes to her room.</p>
<p>“Um- Miss Ritchi,” Megamind calls.</p>
<p>She stops.</p>
<p>“Do you uh- is the jacket that... comfortable?” He asks.</p>
<p>Roxanne looks down and sees the jacket, and that her pajama pants hang low on her hips and her tank top (really a crop top) shows her abdomen.</p>
<p>Oh.</p>
<p>For fucks sake-</p>
<p>“No. I just put it on because it was cold out of bed,” she lies.</p>
<p>She doesn’t wait for a response and goes to pick out an outfit and get dolled up to be aired on TV.</p>
<p>Her face is red before she washes her face and she has to use cold water to get it to settle down.</p>
<p>
  <em> Damnit Roxanne. </em>
</p>
<p>She brushes her teeth in a flurry and grabs a dress from her closet, yanking it on and snatching a pair of shoes as she stumbles out of her room and to the kitchen.</p>
<p>Megamind is standing awkwardly by the counter when she returns, nervously twiddling his fingers- still.</p>
<p>She sets her shoes on the counter (Megamind mentally cringes at the unsanitary choice but remains still faced) and grabs her cup of coffee, making it as quickly as possible before stuffing her feet into ankle-strapped heels.</p>
<p>She had learned very early on that non-ankle strapped heels get ruined very, very often.</p>
<p>“You can have coffee if you want,” Roxanne says.</p>
<p>Then she’s walking back into her room with her cup to finish her makeup, fix her hair, and grab his jacket to give it back to him.</p>
<p>It takes roughly 10 minutes for her to do this, and when she walked into the living room pushing the back of her earring on, he seems to have snapped out of the awkwardness- a cup of what she assumes is coffee next to him.</p>
<p>“Are you ready to go, Miss Ritchi?” He asks, arching an (is that threaded or waxed? Maybe plucked?) eyebrow at her.</p>
<p>She nods and sets her cup on the counter, holding his jacket out to him.</p>
<p>He takes it with the slightest falter and rests it over his forearm before knocking her out with the knockout spray.</p>
<p>Was he hoping she’d keep it? He didn’t seem like he wanted it back.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Roxanne Ritchi, for the second time in 24 hours, wakes up tied to a chair with a bag lifting from her head.</p>
<p>“Ah, we meet again Miss Ritchi!” Megamind says, turning his chair to face her.</p>
<p>There’s a brain bot in his lap, electricity charging after his fingers running along its dome.</p>
<p>Roxanne sighs and rolls her neck- much stiffer than usual, Megamind seemingly didn’t know how to position her in the car as comfortable as Minion did.</p>
<p>His face twitches- not in irritation but Roxanne swore it looked confused for a moment- before he speaks again.</p>
<p>“Ah, was the car ride bad?” He asks, real timid.</p>
<p>Roxanne finds it endearing that he cares, but doesn’t comment on it.</p>
<p>Instead, she scoffs, “I don’t know. I was knocked out. Next time bend my knees, not my upper body, or ask Minion to do it instead.”</p>
<p>Megamind gives her a little bit of a jerky nod and then kicks off of a control panel to mess with some dials on the other side of the desks.</p>
<p>He works in silence, zapping something with a little welding taser or whatever it’s called and connecting various wires.</p>
<p>Roxanne has no clue why he’s only just now doing it until she catches a reflection in a tesla coils tube in front of her.</p>
<p>A timer is counting down behind her, bright and green.</p>
<p>He has to start it by connecting the wires himself- that’s new for him. Usually, he has a switch ready or something.</p>
<p>“Sir,” Minion says, off to the side as always, “We’re live in half a minute.”</p>
<p>Megamind spins in an excited circle in the high-backed chair and spreads his arms out wide- a wicked smile on his face.</p>
<p>Roxanne's chest flutters and then constricts hard behind her sternum in admiration and she promptly ignores it.</p>
<p>Now is not the time, and he’s not the person.</p>
<p>“This is it, Minion! We’re going to defeat Metromahn for the first time and rule the city!” Megamind yells.</p>
<p>Roxanne's face twists, “Don’t you have an Anarchy symbol on your jacket? Where’d that plan go?”</p>
<p>“Well, I don't exactly intend on being Stalin, nosey reporter. I’m going to let everyone do as they please- until I deem it necessary to intervene,” He says.</p>
<p>“Uh-huh. When will that be? When people start saying you dress like Janet Jackson in the All For You tour? Or when people call you alien Goblin King? Or when everyone realizes you have no intention of keeping this all going for more than 2 months when you defeat Metroman?” She challenges.</p>
<p>Megamind stiffens in his chair and the brain bot leaves him to float around with its little friends.</p>
<p>“Now you listen here, Temptress-”</p>
<p>“We’re live in 3, 2-” Minion cuts in.</p>
<p>Megamind shifts his demeanor far too fast for Roxanne to process the emotions or appreciate the control.</p>
<p>“1!”</p>
<p>Megamind smiles and turns to the camera, “Hello helpless citizens of Metrocity!”</p>
<p>Minion gives him a thumbs-up from the shadows.</p>
<p>“Today is the day that Metromahn will be destroyed! Or miss Ritchi will be!”</p>
<p>“So what’s the plan today? A timer that tracks down his death date based on his species life cycle? I saw it behind me in the tesla coils.” Roxanne asks.</p>
<p>Everyone knows Metroman is an alien- nobody really mentions it though. </p>
<p>Roxanne can’t help but think it’s just xenophobia.</p>
<p>Megamind twirls to face her with a flourish of his cape.</p>
<p>“<em>Actually</em>, temptress, it counts down how much time is left until the first fire starts," he tells her, voice as smooth as the inside of that damn leather jacket.</p>
<p>“First fire?"</p>
<p>“Yes.”</p>
<p>Megamind turns back to the camera, “You see, Metromahn will be playing a game of fireman today. There are fires everywhere all over the city that will start in random intervals- some with more kerosene and others with less. Metromahn will have to extinguish them all before he gets here,” Megamind informs the audience.</p>
<p>There’s a loud buzz behind her and she looks in the coil to see flashing zeros.</p>
<p>The floor drops from underneath her and suddenly her chair is dangling 4 feet above a massive pit of lava.</p>
<p>“Oh, and how could I forget? For every minute a fire lasts, Miss Ritchi will be lowered little by little into the lava,” Megamind laughs.</p>
<p>So <em>this</em> is today's game.</p>
<p>Roxanne is glad she wore the heels with the straps today.</p>
<p>“And one last thing, It’s Greek Fire,” He quips.</p>
<p>Oh, Roxanne thinks, this is quite the game for Metroman.</p>
<hr/>
<p>It takes an hour for Metroman to finally put out all of the fires and by the time he’s done she’s got one foot between her and the top of the lava pit- which had actually been lowering a little as she got closer. The camera was being lowered to make the angle of her being lowered seem like the level was the same.</p>
<p>Megamind escapes this time- he made another fire start and he and Minion leaped into the invisible car and drove off before Metroman could get back.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Roxanne gives a public statement then goes home to her apartment.</p>
<p>It feels empty- nothing new.</p>
<p>She sits around idly, reads a bit of the Divine Comedy, gets bored, does sloppy notes on an article, watches Netflix, lazy and overworked. </p>
<p>Roxanne can still feel the warm buzz of heat in her feet.</p>
<p>The lava was hot as hell, she decides, and now she wants to be freezing.</p>
<p>She takes a cold shower, sets the AC to 66, and turns on the fans in her living room and bedroom.</p>
<p>It’s almost winter, she’ll have to get used to it anyway.</p>
<p>She has a blanket around her shoulders- it’s cold and she sits around for an hour before she starts to get unpleasantly cold.</p>
<p>Roxanne aches for the weight of the jacket Megamind let her wear for a few moments before she remembers the brain bots.</p>
<p>It’s 9:38, they usually come to check up on her around 10.</p>
<p>With any luck, if she leaves a note they’ll see- and she’s feeling a little pushy tonight after being dangled over lava, threat or not.</p>
<p>She grabs a sticky note from her counter and a pen, writing shockingly neat considering her hands can barely close.</p>
<p>
  <em> “Hey,  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> Raincheck on the jacket? It’s really comfortable, I’ll admit it. Can I borrow it for a bit? </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> -Roxanne (Miss Ritchi)” </em>
</p>
<p>She sticks it on her balcony door where the brain bot can see and goes back to huddling up in a blanket fort, watching Pose.</p>
<p>She’s almost asleep when she hears a knock on the glass of her balcony door.</p>
<p>She groans and sits up, bundling the blanket tighter around her</p>
<p>Roxanne opens the door without looking, then turns back to her apartment to get a drink- mouth dry from her mouth being open in the cold room.</p>
<p>“Ah, a counter to the lava? That’s why it’s cold for you right now?” Megamind's voice drifts to hers.</p>
<p>She nods and fills up a glass of water before slamming it.</p>
<p>“It was hot and I wanted cold,” she replies, eloquent as ever.</p>
<p>She hears her balcony door shut and the intentionally-soft fall of his boots on her hardwood, then rug, then hardwood.</p>
<p>There’s a soft rattle and clang and she looks up to see a different jacket than the one he gave her on her counter.</p>
<p>She picks it up without asking and holds it up.</p>
<p>This jacket is a little less worn and there are only a few patches, mainly targeted at being anti-bigot and anti-fascist. Chains hang from the shoulders like ornate military cords, and there are a few pins on it, one Roxanne recognizes as Sisters of Mercy and the other The Cure.</p>
<p>“You were goth <em>and</em> punk? Playing for both teams, huh?” she teases.</p>
<p>“No, I enjoyed the music of both but I couldn’t do all of the makeup and hair is rather important in the goth community so I didn’t get too far into it. I didn’t particularly love mall goths anyway and didn’t want to associate with them- not that anyone associated with me,” Megamind explains.</p>
<p>She nods and slips the jacket on.</p>
<p>The inside of this one is velvety and Roxanne's mind flashes with the curiosity of whether all of his clothes are this comfortable or not.</p>
<p>Megamind clears his throat and she looks up at him.</p>
<p>“I gave you that one so you can wear it outside without people knowing it’s mine- that um, that is- if you’d like to. The chains come off if you think that’s a giveaway… Why didn’t you turn off the fans if you got cold, Miss Ritchi?”</p>
<p>She stiffens at the concern in his question just enough for Megamind to notice. </p>
<p>“Don’t play games Megamind, you read the note,” she grumbles.</p>
<p>A playful smirk settles onto his face, “And what did the note say, Miss Ritchi?”</p>
<p>She groans and goes to fill her cup again, licking her chapped lips.</p>
<p>His eyes dart down and back up before she makes eye contact with him again. </p>
<p>“It's comfortable, okay? I don’t know why that’s so hard to believe for you, Megamind, but your jacket is comfortable. And so is this one. I might not give it back.”</p>
<p>His eyes dance with amusement and she can feel the mortification creeping down her spine.</p>
<p>“Oh, please do, Miss Ritchi. Though I’m sure your boyfriend won't be all too happy.”</p>
<p>“Haha. Very funny. You know better than anyone why he wouldn’t care,” she replies, sipping water from her cup and perching up on the counter.</p>
<p>He watches her with a puzzled face, “What do you mean he wouldn’t care? Is he… is he neglectful or… abusive?”</p>
<p>Roxanne's face twists and she looks at him confused.</p>
<p><em> Why did he jump </em> <em>to abusive? </em></p>
<p>“What? No, he’s not abusive- no. We aren’t dating, you know that… right?”</p>
<p>His face twists this time and he jolts, moving animatedly.</p>
<p>“What? But- but- the public sightings together! And he always shows up to rescue you! And the damsel and the hero are always together! And- and-!”</p>
<p>“Megamind,” she cuts him off.</p>
<p>He stops his movements and looks at her, disbelief in his eyes.</p>
<p>“We aren’t dating. We never dated. And we never will. I thought you knew already.”</p>
<p>He shakes his head.</p>
<p>“If I knew you two weren’t dating- I- I-”</p>
<p>“Would’ve stopped kidnapping me?”</p>
<p>He glances at her eyes before he tears his away.</p>
<p>“... No…”</p>
<p>She furrows her brows, “Really? I’m no good as a damsel, I already know this. I don’t scream, don’t really fight, hell I just sit around and harass you and I ask you for your clothes. Not a good damsel in the slightest.”</p>
<p>Megamind shakes his head, “No, you’ve been nothing but exemplary, Miss Ritchi. I enjoy the banter, and dating or not you’re a good device for Metroman… And I- Minion loves your company. I would hate to upset him by ridding the lair of your presence.”</p>
<p>Roxanne's mind flashes with adoration and she almost says something dumb.</p>
<p>“Well… That’s good… You wanna watch Netflix with me? I'm watching Pose. I forgot I left Netflix on when you showed up.”</p>
<p>Megamind glances at the TV still playing.</p>
<p>He shakes his head, “That- that is an incredibly unprofessional thing to do with you as my victim, Miss Ritchi.”</p>
<p>She rolls her eyes, “I’m wearing your jacket and you showed up at my house to bring it to me. What’s one more breach of professionality?”</p>
<p>He gives in then, and she sits next to him on her couch, a foot and a half between them, a blanket over her legs which are propped on the coffee table.</p>
<p>“So, this is about the ballrooms of the 90s? The start of drag racing?” He asks about 5 minutes into the episode.</p>
<p>She nods, “Yeah Well- this isn’t the start but this is around the time their ballrooms started to get the public eye. It’s heartbreaking that they were looked down upon for so long and were only embraced once people wanted stuff from them.”</p>
<p>“I know the sentiment,” he mumbles, shifting.</p>
<p>Roxanne decides to change the topic so he won't be upset or left awkwardly hanging.</p>
<p>“My favorite is Angel, she's Puerto Rican with the pretty hair. My second is Electra but only because she has her moments and is really funny. Plus tall women are my weakness.”</p>
<p>He looks at her with his peripheral, “You’re a lesbian? That would explain why you and Captain Spandex never got together.”</p>
<p>She shakes her head and stifles a laugh, “Yeah, I only like guys because they like me, once I get used to the feeling of their interest it’s kinda… gone? If that makes sense? It’s compulsory. But maybe, on a very very very very slim chance- and I'm talking like 0.00001% probability here, I’d date a man.</p>
<p>But like, there’s Nonbinary people too, and obviously, I don’t discriminate towards trans women either.”</p>
<p>He stays silent for a moment, and guilt for the rant ebbs its way into her chest.</p>
<p>“<em>Is</em> that why you and Metroman didn’t date?” He asks.</p>
<p>She shrugs and feels the guilt lighten, “Mainly, but he also wasn’t interested in me. It’s just for public appearances.”</p>
<p>Megamind nods.</p>
<p>“Can I- ask you something? You can say no once you hear the question. I'm just curious…” She asks.</p>
<p>He turns to her, “Will it be publicized?”</p>
<p>Roxanne shakes her head, “No, of course not.”</p>
<p>“Then go ahead. And keep in mind if I answer and I find out that it’s publicized I will not be happy.”</p>
<p>She nods, “Are you like, God how do I phrase this… Male? On your planet? Like, do you guys have more than 2 sexes? What’s the basis for gender? Do pronouns have to align? How does it work?”</p>
<p>He blinks at her, ears turning that Byzantium shade again.</p>
<p>“You… Want me to tell you about my genitals?” He asks, clarifying.</p>
<p>She shoots up, face red as a beet.</p>
<p>“Not like- not a description just like- how it all works! I don’t need a graph or a mental image. I was just curious. I can't ask Metroman about anything because he closes down.”</p>
<p>“For good reason, for his species,” Megamind mumbles.</p>
<p>He pauses, stiff as he decides what to do.</p>
<p>There’s that voice at the back of his mind, always there, gnawing on his insecurities to make the biggest hole in his self-image as possible.</p>
<p>It’s telling him she won't want to hear it.</p>
<p>She’ll tell people.</p>
<p>She won't talk to him again.</p>
<p>She’ll really understand he’s an alien- never anything else.</p>
<p>She’ll leave him and rip out a piece of him she doesn’t know she’s holding.</p>
<p>“I… suppose I can humor you,” he mumbles, eyes cast down.</p>
<p>He unbuckles his shoes and pulls his legs to sit criss-cross facing her.</p>
<p>“Okay. My species has 3 sexes. One you would consider male, another female, and an intersex option… To clarify, you won't be spreading this, or I will actually have to kidnap you, Miss Ritchi,” He shoots her a warning.</p>
<p>She nods, pausing the TV.</p>
<p>“... Everyone is born intersex. We determine our own sex around the time humans would leave highschool. Humans can eat almonds to boost estrogen, we eat food to boost our hormones to decide our sex. There are also some physical things to stimulate the growth of certain aspects. Before that, we’re treated as genderless. No coding.</p>
<p>“Gender is relatively similar, there’s the binary 3 that we have, and then we also have a genderless and, technically, sexless option. Some people, though very few, choose to do none of the practices I mentioned to influence their sex and instead remain rather androgynous. You can identify with gender as the non-binary option, or be the non-binary option but assign yourself one of the binary sexes,” He explains.</p>
<p>Roxanne nods and he waits a moment for her to catch up.</p>
<p>“So… what’s the intersex gender? Like, boobs but intersex genitalia or exactly like how it is for intersex humans?”</p>
<p>“The same as intersex humans. Different matches but typically they progress to look female but maintain both genitalia rather than having the male part removed. Some are able to get the intersex genitalia and no chest at all but it’s usually not what people choose. It’s complicated and takes time to understand if you don’t know it already, especially because it’s not like your planet.”</p>
<p>“I’m sorry- what's the difference between that and the non-binary option?” Roxanne asks.</p>
<p>Megamind sighs, “Non-binary people make no changes to their body’s hormones so they remain completely androgynous. Some eat a little of what makes us masculine for facial hair and some eat a little of what makes us feminine for a little more hip or kinder eyes but that’s all. Intersex eats to make themself look feminine and masculine with any combination of secondary and primary sex traits. The difference is that intersex people have changed their sex traits and non-binary people haven’t.”</p>
<p>Roxanne nods, “That makes sense… Will you tell me which you are…?”</p>
<p>He meets her eyes and he sees that curiosity swirling in a flurry behind hers. </p>
<p>“I promise I won't tell. Pinky swear,” she says, holding out her pinky.</p>
<p>He glances down, body stiff as he decides what to do. </p>
<p>His leather-clad pinky grips hers and the threat he made burns inter her back like a brand.</p>
<p>They part and he sinks into the arm of the couch, legs still crossed.</p>
<p>“The non-binary option. I chose to eat enough to get facial hair and left it at that.”</p>
<p>He shudders out an exhale and waits for the judgemental eyes.</p>
<p>Roxanne nods, “Fair enough. Are you non-binary on Earth too, or a man? You never correct anyone on the male pronouns.”</p>
<p>Megamind blinks then shrugs and looks at the glint of the chains on his jacket she’s wearing.</p>
<p>“The pronouns don't bother me- you could use girl pronouns and I wouldn’t care either. You don’t have to go out of your way for they/them, either. They feel fine- but I’m still genderless.”</p>
<p>“Pronouns don’t determine gender or sex, I know… I think it’s really cool that you get to choose who you are. I wonder if I'd stay female…”</p>
<p>Megamind stares at her.</p>
<p>She has her hands clasped together in her lap, seemingly memorizing the lines in them with how intent her gaze is- her eyebrows furrowed in thought.</p>
<p>“I understand. At Least you look normal,” he tells her.</p>
<p>She looks up at him, “You look normal, you’re an alien. They’re just xenophobic assholes who can’t stand anyone who doesn’t look like them or isn’t from the same place as them. Considering how diverse Earth is I don’t understand why they always gave you shit for not looking like everyone else anyway. And to reiterate, you’re an Alien. You don’t have to look human, because you aren’t. If you didn’t look human you wouldn’t be you.”</p>
<p>He scoffs, “Ah yes, me. You know, there are books that portray versions of me as a horrifying beast? I’m the monster kids beg for their parents to check under their bed for. I’m the alien who kidnaps you and has 84 life sentences. Always too smart for my own good and too evil to do good.”</p>
<p>“So?” Roxanne snaps.</p>
<p>Megamind looks at her, shocked but still angered.</p>
<p>“Who cares. Megamind I’m not blind. You never really put me in danger. The lava lowered with me today. You went through the town in a giant robot suit destroying buildings- which were all set for demolition anyway- and swerved when you almost fell into a community garden and ended up immediately being sent to jail because you got caught for it.”</p>
<p>He looks at her bewildered- two pleasant speeches about him.</p>
<p>She made not one, but two speeches about him, and neither were negative.</p>
<p>Roxanne shifts in her spot to look less demanding and more caring.</p>
<p>“Megamind, you’re a supergenius. You’re supposed to be too smart for your own good. Everyone knows you made the new ICD and sold the patent to a non-profit for $5, nobody wants to talk about it though. I don’t mind the kidnapping and have fun half of the time-”</p>
<p>“Exactly! Half the time it’s a nuisance and you’re exhausted!” He cuts in.</p>
<p>“The other half of the time I'm fascinated by what you do. I wish I could do all that you do, Megamind. Everyone does, most people just won't say it. I think you do questionable things sometimes but I don’t think you’re a bad person. You’re a supervillain, with all of the glamor and theatrics and schemes it includes.”</p>
<p>He stiffens, “I don’t appreciate the blatant lies here, Miss Ritchi.”</p>
<p>Roxanne looks him over, his chest is sunken in from him leaning back and his head is tilted up, exposing his neck, in a poised way of looking down on what Roxanne now realizes was his interpretation of mockery. </p>
<p>“I’m not lying. I don’t think you’re a bad person, really. I’ve been hurt exactly once in 7 years from the kidnapping and you had way worse injuries than I did from saving my life- which Metroman put at risk for the record,” she tells him.</p>
<p>“But if I hadn’t kidnapped you-”</p>
<p>“If you hadn’t kidnapped me my life would be boring. I’d be fired from my job already or a desk jockey and I’d probably get adrenaline from street racing because my brother did it when I was in high school and I thought it was fun. I think it’s important that I uncover the wrong-doings in Metro City but I’d be bored of it without you… and minion.”</p>
<p>She looks down at her- his sleeve anxiously, she said too much didn’t she?</p>
<p>“Just- I don’t want you to think I get nothing from you kidnapping me. It’s fun talking to you- even if you need to wash the bag- and even if it wasn't- which it is- it keeps me in the public eye.”</p>
<p>“Ah, that’s what it-”</p>
<p>“No, it’s not Megamind!” She barks.</p>
<p>He jolts.</p>
<p>“I have fun with you! That’s why I wanted you to watch Netflix with me! I knew I wasn't going to see you until the next kidnapping and I wanted to and I wanted your jacket because it's warm and comfortable and it smells like you and I just wanted to hang out with you! Like we did last night. It was nice seeing you work and Minion is lovely and it’s just nice…”</p>
<p>He blinks dumbly, “You- You wanted my jacket because it smells like me?”</p>
<p>Oh.</p>
<p>Fuck.</p>
<p>She had said that, hadn't she?</p>
<p>Roxanne nods, “Uh, yeah. A little… It’s not my fault you smell like- I don't know but you smell like this lotion I had from bath and body works a few years ago and you smell nice…”</p>
<p>“It’s um, Juniper and Coriander, right? My species are aquatic so my skin gets dry and it’s one of the only ones that doesn’t leave me slimy or that doesn’t smell offensive…”</p>
<p>“Yeah, that’s the one…”</p>
<p>They sit in awkward silence for a moment.</p>
<p>“Miss Ritchi, I need to tell you something. I can’t hold off on it anymore and it will definitely change our professional relationship.”</p>
<p>Roxanne's heart sinks but she nods anyway, dread in her gut.</p>
<p>He’s going to cut her off, he knows.</p>
<p>“I know your kind words did not come from the heart, but I need to tell you something that does. I- I have feelings for you. Stronger than anything I’ve ever felt and ones that run deeper than my love for villainy- if you believe me.”</p>
<p>Roxanne's world tilts on its axis.</p>
<p>“I- I know it’s disturbing to hear from your kidnapper, so in your best interest, I’ll cease the kidnappings. You can keep the jacket if you still want it. I- I hope you live a prosperous life, know that I will not interfere with it any longer.”</p>
<p>His voice is so low she barely hears him, or maybe it’s the shock of it.</p>
<p>He stands and walks around her to leave.</p>
<p>In a last-minute attempt, brain fuzzy and heart-pounding, Roxanne twists around and grabs his wrist.</p>
<p>He spins to stand face to face with her.</p>
<p>She's got one hand on the back of the couch, kneeling against the cushions, and half a foot shorter than him at this angle.</p>
<p>“Don’t- please- I- Megamind please you can’t just- you can’t just stop kidnapping me. I feel safe around you and-”</p>
<p>“I can still send brain bots to check on you if you’d like, Miss Ritchi. You don’t have to-”</p>
<p>Roxanne groans and he stops his sentence.</p>
<p>“Do I- Do I really need to spell it out for you? Megamind- I have feelings for you. I thought you already knew.”</p>
<p>He blinds twice, “You should stop assuming things about me, Miss Ritchi. Regardless, this isn’t a funny joke, and it’s not the first one that’s been played on me, it wont work.”</p>
<p>Roxanne feels a twinge of pain in her chest- he really had kids pretend to like him for shits and giggles?</p>
<p>“Megamind, I’m going to do something- tell me to stop if you want me to.”</p>
<p>She stands on the couch and presses her lips to his before he can respond.</p>
<p>He’s perfectly still for a second, then he’s kissing her back, hands on her arms and her waist and he’s stepping closer to her as she towers over him at the angle.</p>
<p>She smiles against his mouth before she nips at his lip, hoping he’ll get the hint.</p>
<p>Megamind reels back, keeping her steady with one hand for a moment before he’s completely stopped touching her, still within arms reach though- Roxanne notices.</p>
<p>“Stop- I- You- You don’t have to-to do that just-” He stumbles out, one hand held up and a mixture of hurt and longing and a twinge of resentment in his eyes.</p>
<p>Roxanne smiles, “I want to, Megamind. I’ve been wanting to, for a year. </p>
<p>He shakes his head, “No- no you’re lying. Or it’s Stockholm.”</p>
<p>“Fine, I’ll just do it until you believe me, no problem with me- unless you don’t want me to?”</p>
<p>She shoots him a sly look under long lashes and he knows he should say no but-</p>
<p>“God, I want you to-you know I- you know that,” He stutters.</p>
<p>She leans down and kisses him again, one hand on his jaw and the other on his upper arm.</p>
<p>He's gripping her against him immediately, tilting his head up and pressing her waist against his abdomen, one hand on the small of her back and the other on her ribs.</p>
<p>His face is hot and he knows his face is a deeper shade of purple than Prince ever wore.</p>
<p>Megamind pulls back after some time and some hazy kisses, eyes barely opened and staring at the beauty mark on her chin.</p>
<p>“Did you mean it?” He asks, barely a murmur.</p>
<p>Roxanne smiles, kissing him quickly before she responds with a hushed “yes.”</p>
<p>He kisses her this time, happy and content- the little voice suddenly gagged and unable to protest this moment.</p>
<p>When her teeth graze his lip this time he chirps and she has to press her tongue against his lip for him to get the idea and open his mouth.</p>
<p>He surrenders immediately with a soft groan, letting her tongue rake over his teeth, grazing over the too-long and too-sharp canines and the rest of his teeth.</p>
<p>He moans this time- when her tongue makes contact with his and suddenly he’s dizzy and pressing closer to her and then her hand is moving from his jaw to the back of his neck after fighting to get past the high collar and his knees buckle.</p>
<p>She pulls back immediately, “Shit- are you okay?”</p>
<p>He looks up at her and a mixture of their saliva is on her lips and her pupils are wide and her hand is still on his neck and it's gripped a little tighter and her cheeks are beautifully flushed and No, no he is not okay.</p>
<p>“Uh- um yes. The back of my neck is very sensitive is all,” He chokes out.</p>
<p>“Oh, um- okay, sorry,” She pulls her hand back and places it on his cheek.</p>
<p>“Do you still want to keep going or is that enough for one night?” Roxanne asks.</p>
<p>He nods, “I like it.”</p>
<p>She grins all teeth and he is really wishing she’d say yes to being his evil queen right now.</p>
<p>“Sit next to me,” She tells him.</p>
<p>He obliges, ever obedient.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. His Beatrice</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi, I'm writing again.</p><p>It's a tiny bit NSFW but nothing explicit, and it's only before the first scene shift.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Megamind nearly trips over his own feet as he circles around the couch to sit next to Roxanne.</p><p>Then he trips over his own shoes.</p><p>He huffs out of both amusement and nerves, hands twitching with a slight tremor as he rests them on his thighs.</p><p>“You still good?” Roxanne asks.</p><p>He turns to her,  an amused glint in his eyes again.</p><p>“I almost walked out of your apartment with no shoes on Miss Ritchi,” he starts, “then you kissed me and told me you return my feelings and have the nerve to ask me if I'm okay. No, I'm not okay. I’m both stunned and embarrassed.”</p><p>She chuckles, soft and airy, “There’s no reason for you to be embarrassed, Megamind. Trust me, I've done things far more embarrassing."</p><p>Megamind scoffs but remains still and chooses not to argue with her.</p><p>“Here,” Roxanne says, and leans closer to him, and pulls him out of his very awkward and stiff position.</p><p>Megamind makes a small noise as she takes his arms and places this hands on her waist and upper arm.</p><p>He makes another noise when she swings her leg around his and cages her hands around his head.</p><p>She glances over him briefly before meeting his eyes, “This okay?”</p><p>He nods, afraid to talk and bite his own tongue off.</p><p>She smiles and leans in close, closing her eyes and feeling his warm breath graze her skin.</p><p>He follows after her, closing his eyes and breathing shakey, his fingers tightening their grip on her.</p><p>When Roxanne doesn’t close the gap fast enough he gets impatient despite the anxiety he’s feeling and surges forward to kiss her instead.</p><p>She chuckles into the kiss and moves to cross her arms behind his head then, sinks to actually sit in his lap.</p><p>A surge of excitement shoots through him and before he can think he’s pulling her closer by her waist, pressing her abdomen firm against his- she gasps and he takes the lead, kissing her with fervor.</p><p>He mimics what she did to him and moves his tongue past her lips to graze her tongue.</p><p>Roxanne presses against him more and runs a hand lightly over the spikes on his shoulder purely for the stimulation before running it up and down his chest.</p><p>He’s arching into her easily, and Roxanne can’t help but have that greedy thought <em>that she’s finally got him where she’s wanted him for over a year now</em>.</p><p>She pulls back and he chases her for a moment before he stops himself, cheeks flushed purple.</p><p>Roxanne nudges the bottom of his shoulder piece, “Can you take this off?”</p><p>He nods and takes his hands off of her, twisting the clasp and pushing it off of his shoulders before wrapping an arm around her waist and pushing his hips up and off the couch by about a foot.</p><p>His shoulders dig into the back of the couch as she clings to him while he pulls the cape out from where he was sitting to toss the shoulder spikes over the side of the couch.</p><p>Megamind sits back down and it’s not even a full second before Roxanne has both of her arms around his neck, pulling him into another kiss while he lets out a whine at the sensation of her skin on his bare neck.</p><p>Roxanne didn’t expect him to lift her like that at all, but it was extremely pleasing to know he could do that and it sent something hot and full of sparks down her spine.</p><p>He clings to her like she’s salvation from a life of destitution and it makes Roxanne feel loved, even if they aren’t anywhere near that part yet. </p><p>She doesn’t bother moving her hands away from his neck though, and the twisting of the kissing is making his very sensitive neck very tingly and him feel very needy, his hands are shaking from the feeling.</p><p>Roxanne pulls back long enough to tell him he can move his hand's and he doesn’t wait any longer, a hand moves down to grip her thigh and pull her against his hips- she keens and arches into him.</p><p>
  <em>God, she’s really here with him, on his lap, letting him shove his tongue down her throat- okay actually his tongue is long enough to do that and he doesn’t want to think about that but the sentiment remains. </em>
</p><p>And she said she has feelings for him. </p><p>Megamind feels nothing short of euphoric as he grips her, kneading her thigh and pressing his palm flat against her back to make her as close to him as he can get without removing any more layers.</p><p>He smiles against her lips, he has Roxanne Ritchi of all people kissing him like he’s <em>special</em>. Like he’s better than he is. Like he’s her Paolo and she's his Francesca, hopefully with a happy ending.</p><p>She pulls back enough to look at his face fully, cheeks flushed beautifully and eyes dancing with curiosity and adoration.</p><p>“What’s making you all smiley?” She asks and leans down to press a kiss below his ear.</p><p>He gasps and his hips twitch beneath her.</p><p>Megamind feels Roxanne smile and she continues pressing soft kisses against his neck.</p><p>He swallows hard, “Jus-Just happy to be here with yo-ou… Didn’t reall-y-y think it was possible- a-ah.”</p><p>Roxanne presses her lips firm over where she can feel a pulse, a little closer to his ear than humans, and hums in content.</p><p>“I’m here with you, Megamind. For however long you want me, I’ll be here, I’m not the one who can disappear with no trace, she mumbles against his neck.</p><p>He frowns, “You think I’d leave you?”</p><p>Roxanne shrugs, “I think if you got bored of the same routine or couldn’t deal with me anymore you’d leave. And it's not like you're that emotionally invested in a reporter of all people.”</p><p>His frown deepens and he pushes her back gently by the shoulders.</p><p>He was, in fact, extremely emotionally invested with her, even if he wouldn't admit it just yet.</p><p>“Miss Ritchi, I am not easily bored, even with the most remedial tasks. I’ve stayed here to see you, I could have left ages ago. It got stale for a while, yes, but you’ve always kept it so interesting. You’re brilliant, don’t think for a second I’d get bored of this or you.”</p><p>She shakes her head, “No you’ll get bored of dating me. Or you won't want to date me once I get difficult.”</p><p>“How would dating you be difficult?”</p><p>She sighs and slumps her shoulders, “I argue a lot, I overanalyze, I’m married to my job, I’m gonna have to write articles on you- objectively obviously and I won't use anything personal, I'm stubborn, I don’t know anything about any of the machines you use so I can’t be very useful in that department-”</p><p>He cuts her off, “Miss Ritchi, our current relationship is no different. You report on me already, we banter constantly, your overanalyzing is what makes me work harder, your stubbornness is appreciated and encouraged for the charm it brings you, and I don't expect you to know all about the machines that I build.</p><p>“I’m a super genius with a controllable photographic memory, I read a textbook once and it’s memorized forever. You being in my lab with me, simply existing as you did earlier this week is all I’d ask of you. And if I needed you to change something small I’d go about it properly, I wouldn’t run like some insolent boy in a shool-yard.”</p><p>Roxanne bites her lip, twisting the fabric of his suit absentmindedly.</p><p>“It’s just- I don’t date. I haven't dated since this whole thing started because I tried and it didn’t work because I was never around and I was being carried by Metro Man and basically flirting with you so I don’t know how it’s going to work for us…”</p><p>He tilts her chin up to look at him.</p><p>“There is an ‘us,’ right?” he asks.</p><p>Roxanne nods and he smiles, sweet as saccharine.</p><p>“Then I’ll be here for it, Miss Ritchi.”</p><p>“Okay,” she mumbles, “But if you get tired of it-”</p><p>He laughs, “I won't get tired of it. As long as you’re here I’ll be as well. If it gives you more permanence, you can have my personal cellphone number."</p><p>She laughs, "Ooh, personal. How special I am."</p><p>Megamind chuckles, "Very special, Miss Ritchi, very special."</p><p>Roxanne nods solemnly, “Okay, but you can’t kill puppies or do anything especially bad before we come out with the relationship or after. And we need to continue the kidnappings still. And not that I don’t want people to know but we have to keep this on the down-low for a while.”</p><p>Megamind hums in agreement, “Of course.”</p><p>There’s a needle in his heart digging deep.</p><p>She doesn’t want to be seen in public with him.</p><p>That’s understandable.</p><p>He has been kidnapping her for 10 years, after all.</p><p>“Also,” she breaks him out of his thoughts, “Stop calling me ‘Miss Ritchi’, at least in private.”</p><p>Megamind smirks and speaks in what is literally a purr, “Why of course, Temptress.”</p><p>A shiver runs down her spine and his smirk grows into a wolf’s smile as he pulls her close by her thigh like she liked before and nips at her neck.</p><p>He doesn’t know where the confidence came from but he appreciates whatever pushed him to do it when she whimpers and juts her hips forward involuntarily.</p><p>Evil Gods, what is he going to do now?</p><p>There’s a sinking pit in his stomach he’s trying desperately to ignore- but he makes no comment as she kisses him again.</p><hr/><p>When Roxanne gets up to make coffee the next morning she sees Megamind's cup of coffee from the previous morning on the counter, cold and nearly white in color.</p><p>How much milk did he put in it?</p><p>She dumps it and rinses it before making her cup and getting dressed to go to work.</p><hr/><p>Roxanne shrugs on Megamind's jacket without a second thought and glances at herself in the mirror, rakes her eyes up and down before smiling. </p><p>I had been a week since the last kidnapping and she hadn't seen Megamind since.</p><p>A Bauhaus inspired dress with black strappy heels, topped with his jacket. </p><p>Her makeup is normal, but she hadn’t taken this dress out of her closet in years- too much of a giveaway?</p><p>She debates it with herself for a moment before deciding it would be better another day and changing into a green shirt and blue jeans.</p><p>When she finishes her walk to the store she’s done with her coffee, setting the cup in the cart as she does her shopping.</p><p>She gets a couple of glances at the store and the usual overly-friendly smile from a  few weird men and some judgemental looks from others and a handful of women.</p><p>So far, she’s had zero people look at the jacket too hard, but that could be because they <strike>think</strike> know it’s Megamind's.</p><p>She leaves the store after 20 minutes and catches a camera flash to her right, across the street.</p><p>Fuck.</p><hr/><p>Megamind groans as he rubs his face- tired and worn.</p><p>Though he had been extremely happy for that night at MIss Ritchis initially, after mulling on it for a week, he doesn’t actually believe Miss Ritchi returns his feelings.</p><p>His heart churns and aches in his chest, both the small one and the large one, and he tilts his head against the back of his chair and lets out a pained groan.</p><p>His species felt very strong to love, something he didn’t think he’d ever find out for himself, but it was causing him actual physical pain to partially bond with Miss Ritchi yet pull himself away like this.</p><p>But he needed to.</p><p>Megamind knew he did. </p><p>He kicked his feet off of the control panel and spun across the room to the other side, hitting play on the video he’d been watching on loop all morning.</p><p>It was Roxanne putting his jacket on to sleep in and curling up from when she wore it in the lab. </p><p>It was kind of creepy, Megamind knew it was.</p><p>Megamind smiled half-heartedly.</p><p>Roxanne couldn’t deal with bonding if her emotions were real and it wasn't a trick, he hadn’t told her last night and it wasn't fair to her. </p><p>He meant it when he said he'd be there forever, once his people bonded emotionally it was rare for them to end the bond.</p><p>He’d have to move halfway across the planet and live an empty life with a hollow ache in his chest forever.</p><p>It looked like when she finally revealed her trick to get an article or hit-piece he’d have to leave.</p><p>
  <em>One final fight.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>One final prison break.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>One final kiss, hopefully.</em>
</p><p>He’d take the disguise watch and brief Minion in the car, leave the brain bots on to survey the city and keep it safe.</p><p>He has to tell Minion.</p><p>It’s the right thing to do if they have to leave, and he has to do it now.</p><p>Megamind pauses the video that was otherwise playing on loop.</p><p>“Minion! We need to talk!”</p><p>Minions voice replies nearly immediately, “It seems we do, sir!”</p><p>Megamind raises an eyebrow and turns to Minion, who's walking out of the room with the bots in it.</p><p>“Why do you believe we need to talk?”</p><p>Minion blanches, “Have you not seen the articles? They’re all over! Miss Ritchi was wearing a leather jacket, your leather jacket!- in public and everyone thinks you two are dating! Can you believe it! She’s dating Metro Man! Why would you two be dating?”</p><p>Megamind makes a mental note to text Miss Ritchi about the supposed articles when Minion leaves the room.</p><p>Megamind's face heats up, “Yes, well- um. Minion. I have something important to tell you.”</p><p>Minions face twists in concern and worry laces his voice, “What happened, sir?”</p><p>“Miss Ritchi and I are courting, Minion… Last week we… agreed,” Megamind sighs, placing a hand over his face.</p><p>Minions Gorilla suit stiffens and his face turns incredulous, “A week ago? You didn't tell me? You and Miss Ritchi? Sir! That’s great! But- but are you sure it’s mutual? I only ask because of Metro Man-”</p><p>Megamind cuts him off, “She’s never dated Metromahn. But I’m a little worried it may be a trick as well. And if it goes bad… I’ve started bonding Minion…”</p><p>Minions eyes go wide, “Bonding? Sir! That’s- already?”</p><p>Megamind nods, going limp in his chair.</p><p>“If it’s a trick… We may eventually need to leave, Minion. I can ignore the paring as it happens and continue normally, but it’s the ripping apart I’m not sure I’ll be able to handle…”</p><p>Minion nods, looking at the paused video on the monitor.</p><p>“I’m sorry, sir. What are the plans for if we leave?”</p><p>Megamind sighs and peers up at Minion, “We leave the bots to do routine work and go to Lithuania or perhaps France if they’re in need of supervillains. We’ll need to lay low for quite some time, though, and live through the disguise watches. We’ll fake our deaths in a lab experiment gone wrong and start new lives…”</p><p>Minion floats idly in his tank, processing the new information.</p><p>Miss Ritchi was someone that Megamind had been pining after for years, Minion knew it, and he’s pretty sure most of Metrocity and half the world knew Megamind was in love with Miss Ritchi.</p><p>But did Miss Ritchi return the feelings?</p><p>Minion can’t count the number of times he’s caught Miss Ritchi staring at Megamind, sometimes blushing and sometimes just completely enraptured, others with a fond smile of her face.</p><p>She never complains about Megamind when he picks her up, only about the car ride and the bag- which he needs to wash- not even an off-handed comment.</p><p>And, Minion peers up at the monitor behind Megamind, as he looks at Miss Ritchi curled around a black silk pillow with Sir's jacket on, he can’t help but think she returns the feelings.</p><p>Minion sighs and steps closer to Megamind, resting a hand on his shoulder.</p><p>“I’m sorry sir, I hope it’s not a trick. For your sake and ours,” he tells him.</p><p>
  <em>It’s best not to get his hopes up, just in case.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It will only make the bond tearing hurt worse.</em>
</p><p>Megamind lets out a longing sigh and closes his eyes, “Me too, Minion. But for now, I need to plan for the next kidnapping. We will proceed as normal until it’s necessary that we change.”</p><p>“Yes sir!” Minion says with a smile, “Would you like coffee while you work?”</p><p>“Of course! This must be my grandest kidnapping yet! If we have to leave, it will be with a bang!”</p><p>Megamind kicks off the control panel to glide across the room and start the blueprints for the latest machine, a death ray.</p><p>As Minion turns to make coffee, he casts one final glance at Megamind.</p><p>
  <em>Sir won't be able to take the heartbreak.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Minion needs to make sure that Miss Ritchi returns his feelings.</em>
</p><p>The kitchen is clean and tidy and perfectly organized, his apron is hanging on a hook near the fridge.</p><p>He crosses the room deep in thought, taking the coffee off the shelf above the counter and scooping the grounds into the coffee filter.</p><p>“3321! Come here please!” He calls out as he fills the pot with water.</p><p>Moments later there’s a soft “bog” behind him, and he turns in his tank to look at the brain bot.</p><p>“Don’t tell daddy, but I need you to find any footage of Miss Ritchi and Sir interacting. Or any footage that any of you bots have of Miss Ritchi talking about Sir,” He instructs.</p><p>The bot tilts in confusion and lets out a noise to indicate confusion.</p><p>“If he knows it’ll ruin the surprise. Go ask all of the bots and tell them it’s a secret, I need it by the end of tonight.”</p><p>The bot nods and flies out of the kitchen, pushing open the swing door and giving letting Minion see a glint of Megamind.</p><p>He’s typing furiously on his phone, his tongue peeking out from between his teeth with his brows furrowed tight.</p><p>Minion sighs and turns on the coffee maker, waiting patiently.</p><p>He’s almost 98% sure Miss Ritchi returns Sir’s feelings, but he wants to be 100% sure.</p><p>
  <em>What should he do if Miss Ritchi doesn’t obviously return his feelings?</em>
</p><hr/><p>Roxanne sets her bags on the counter and quickly begins to put the cold groceries away.</p><p>Did the people who took pictures of her know it’s Megaminds jacket?</p><p>Are they already speculating?</p><p>Do they think it’s hers?</p><p>She gets halfway through putting away the dry groceries before she loses her patience and pulls her phone out to see if there are any new articles under her name.</p><p>There’s 5, all of them have pictures of her in his jacket, and 4 are speculating if she’s dating him, the other says it’s a possibility but it’s probably a flaunt to make fun of him.</p><p>She wouldn’t do that.</p><p>She runs a hand down her face and massages her temples before collapsing into a stool at her counter.</p><p>Her phone buzzes on the counter and she flips it over to look at the notification.</p><p><b>Megs- </b> <em> I’m not sure if you’re aware of it, but there are a few articles with pictures of you wearing my jacket, speculating a relationship. Just making sure that you know. </em></p><p>Roxanne sighs and begins typing a response, “Oh god…”</p><p><b>Me-</b> <em> Yeah, I saw the cameras flash on my walk home and just saw the articles.</em></p><p>She watches as the ‘read’ receipt pops up and the typing bubble appears and disappears a few times in the corner.</p><p>Was he upset?</p><p>He said she could wear it out if she wanted to, and Roxanne had planned on wearing it in public a few times, slowly adding on more of his pins and chains.</p><p>Currently, it was just a leather jacket- Roxanne didn’t even know why anyone immediately thought it was his.</p><p><b>Megs-</b> <em>Are you upset that it’s already been figured out?</em></p><p><b>Me- </b> <em> No, technically they haven’t figured anything out yet. </em></p><p><b>Megs-</b> <em>Ah I see. Waiting for them to take pictures of us in your apartment?</em></p><p>Roxanne snorts at his reply and mulls over what she should do.</p><p>When <em>should </em>they come out about it?</p><p><b>Me-</b> <em>Exactly</em></p><p>
  <em>          But seriously, does people jumping to it brother you? I can be more discreet. </em>
</p><p><b>Megs-</b> <em> I’m not the one who should be bothered by us dating each other. </em></p><p>Roxanne frowns, did he really think she wouldn’t want to be seen with him?</p><p><b>Me-</b> <em>I don’t mind, really. </em></p><p>She debates telling him the next part… </p><p><b>Me-</b> <em>But uh, Metroman and I are supposed to go on a fake date tonight. I can’t really get out of this one now without people speculating if we ‘broke up’ because we haven't been seen in public together for a month… </em></p><p>She shouldn’t have sent that.</p><p>His next text doesn’t come for another 5 minutes.</p><p><b>Megs</b> - <em> Okay, have fun </em></p><p>Roxannes stomach twists, should she call it off?</p><p><b>Me- </b> <em> do you want me to not go? We need to break it off publicly, and he’s been antsy to get it over with for a while now. I was gonna do it tonight. </em></p><p>His reply takes a few minutes this time.</p><p><b>Megs-</b> <em>Do what you think you should do, Miss Ritchi. It isn’t my reputation on the line.</em></p><p>Roxanne rubs her arms as she stares down at her phone.</p><p>Megamind seems off.</p><p><em>Really</em> off.</p><p>But he’s not going to want to talk about it and she knows that, especially not over text.</p><p>Roxanne sighs and picks up her phone to call Metroman, she needs to tell him the plan for tonight.</p><p>He picks up on the second ring, “<em>Hey, Roxie. Kinda busy playing golf right now, call you back later?</em>”</p><p>Roxanne can hear laughing in the background and a faint laugh from him.</p><p>“Wayne we need to talk. Now.”</p><p>He stops laughing and she can hear him move the phone away from his mouth.</p><p>“<em>Hey guys, I’ll be back. Roxie needs me,</em>” he says, muffled.</p><p>She waits a few seconds and then he’s on her balcony, she hangs up the phone and walks over to meet him outside.</p><p>He steps back and sits on a chair, Roxanne follows him.</p><p>“So,” he starts, “What’s this all about?”</p><p>She kicks her legs up on the last empty chair and sighs.</p><p>“We need to do the breakup tonight.”</p><p>He looks at her funny, “Tonight? Why?”</p><p>“Promise you won't give me shit?” she asks.</p><p>Metro Man wasn’t inherently judgemental… but it <em>was</em> Megamind…</p><p>He shifts in his seat, “Promise Roxie.”</p><p>“Okay… Me and Megamind are um… kinda dating now? I think we’re dating, anyway. It’s not serious, it started last week- you’re the first to know so don’t get all butthurt.”</p><p>Wayne gawks, “Megamind? Roxie! That’s my rival! Listen I’m happy that you’re happy and all but does it have to be him?”</p><p>Roxanne scoffs, “Wayne, we’ve been fake dating for years. And you of all people know Megamind isn’t going to hurt me.”</p><p>“It’s not about him hurting you it’s about him being dangerous in general! He makes legitimate deathrays, Roxie!”</p><p>“So did Tesla!”</p><p>“He’s not Tesla! He destroys property and runs drug rings and imports illegal weapons! He has factories for knock-offs! He’s stabbed somebody, Roxie! He lets his underworld run wild and have drivebys!” Metroman argues.</p><p>Roxanne goes still.</p><p>He’s stabbed somebody?</p><p>“When?” she mumbles.</p><p>“When, what?”</p><p>“When did he stab somebody?”</p><p>Wayne scoffs and leans back in the chair, “I don’t know. I heard about it like, 4 years ago, they said he did it because of some property dispute.”</p><p>Roxanne nods.</p><p>4 years is a while, not very long, but it’s a while.</p><p>
  <em>Maybe it was justified?</em>
</p><p>He was <em>dangerous. </em></p><p>Roxanne didn’t even think about it, she just associated him with feeling safe.</p><p>Metroman sighs, “Listen, Roxie. I don’t think he’s horrible or that he’ll kill you. I know he’s going to keep you safe no matter what. Even when I <em>accidentally</em> put you in danger, he shot out to save you and put his life on the line. I just think you should know it’s not going to be rosy the whole way through. And you are definitely going to get public pushback for this.</p><p>“I support it, though. You two have been making goo-goo eyes at each other for years. I don’t think he’s evil, either. If I'm being honest I think he’s been pushed into it, if I was blue I'm sure I would have been too.”</p><p>Roxanne looks over at him, he’s staring at his hands with a solemn expression. </p><p>She clears her throat, “So, we have your blessing?”</p><p>He chuckles and meets her eyes, their signature sparkle in them, “You know I couldn’t stop you if I tried. But yes, I think you two will go well together. Maybe I can retire now, with you with him to keep him occupied.”</p><p>“Retire?” She asks.</p><p>Wayne hums in agreement, “Yep, been thinking about it for a while. Why I wanted to break up- thank you for it, by the way. It’s just- too much. I can’t do this all the time. And if he’s done with villainy, I won't be needed anymore. Police can take over for petty crime and I’ll only be needed for big stuff like bank robberies, which never happen.</p><p>“Pretty sure that’s because of your little buddy, by the way. I’ve heard through the grapevine that he’s running a lot of the organized crime.”</p><p>Roxanne nods, “But if he steps out who’s gonna control it?”</p><p>Wayne shrugs, “They probably won't move if he’s still here. I’m sure he’s got a plan for if something happens to him so the city will stay in order.”</p><p>Roxanne's stomach twists at the thought.</p><p>
  <em> If he dies. </em>
</p><p>“So… tonight?” He asks.</p><p>“Yeah,” Roxanne says, “Tonight.”</p><p>He sits forward with a smile, “How dramatic?”</p><p>She grins at his eagerness, “I say we spitball it, I'll say you do too much hero stuff and my work gets in the way too much and it’s over. We can do improv from there.”</p><p>“Yeah, that works. Not to leave so suddenly, but I do have a golf game to get back to. I’ll pick you up at 7, okay?” He asks.</p><p>Roxanne nods.</p><p>He stands and does a little jump wiggle out of excitement.</p><p>“No offense, but I am so excited for all of this to be over with. Do you think you can get him to stop the villain stuff?”</p><p>If Roxannes being honest, she kind of doesn’t want him to stop.</p><p>She likes the danger, and she’s seen the brain bots doing their rounds, she’s seen them taze a petty burglar, he’s helping in his own morally crooked way.</p><p>“Maybe? It might take some time, but I’ll try. Maybe when me and you break up he’ll stop kidnapping me and trying to destroy you.”</p><p>Metro Man stiffens, “I don’t think so.”</p><p>Roxanne shoots him a puzzled look, “Really? Why?”</p><p>He rubs the back of his neck, “Uh… listen Roxie. That’s not my place to say. You can ask him but be very careful not to push hard- I know how you get sometimes. You might scare the little guy.”</p><p>Roxanne cringes at the thought of hurting him and the knowledge that she’s that pushy.</p><p>Metroman breaks her out of her thoughts by placing a hand on her shoulder.</p><p>“Listen, just be easy and calm, and don’t push too hard. Don’t worry about it. I gotta go, but I’ll see you later.”</p><p>She nods and he leaves with a gush of wind.</p><p>Roxanne doesn’t move from her spot on the balcony.</p><p>Should she ask him to give up villainy? Is that her place?</p><p>And what happened between Megamind and Wayne?</p><hr/><p>Roxanne slips on a flowy black dress with different heels than this morning.</p><p>If she’s going to fake a breakup, she’s going to look hot doing it.</p><p>It’s strapless and tight around her midriff and flows loosely on her legs, stopping right above her knees. </p><p>She has black block heels on that make her 4 inches taller and startlingly red lipstick on.</p><p>She smiles to herself in the mirror as she runs a few drops of coconut oil in her hair to keep it soft and get rid of frizz- glances over herself one more time and grabs her purse, walking out of her room and into her living room.</p><p>Roxanne picks up her phone to check the time and for any new notifications- Megamind hadn’t sent anything her way but she would be lying if she said she expected it.</p><p>He always threw himself into his work, it was part of what makes him who he was.</p><p>Part of what made Roxanne lo-</p><p>A knock on her balcony yanks her back to reality.</p><p>She looks over and sees Wayne, smiling a little nervously.</p><p>Roxanne opens the door and shuts it behind her, purse and phone in hand.</p><p>“Are you sure they’re gonna believe this, Roxie?” He asks, rubbing the back of his neck.</p><p>She nods, “Yes, Wayne, It’s gonna work. As far as everyone else knows, we’ve been dating for years now. A breakup or marriage is the only way this could go and I can’t fake marriage. Plus, you said it yourself, you’re sick of it. We end it tonight, you can play flirt with some pretty blonde and it’ll be done with.”</p><p>“I don’ really wanna flirt with a blonde,” he humbles.</p><p>Roxanne laughs, “Yeah, just fake flirt and never move it past there. Just some random lady. Doesn’t have to go somewhere. Or… you can just come out?”</p><p>It’s known between the both of them and a few very very very close friends of Metromans that he’s gay, but aside from that, it’s never mentioned.</p><p>He shrugs, “Maybe? I don’t know, it’s getting dark though, we should go.”</p><p>Roxanne nods and lets him pick her up, then he takes off.</p><p>Metro Mans flying was one of Roxanne's favorite things.</p><p>She may be terrified of heights, but there was nothing more freeing than flying through the air at high speeds in strong arms.- knowing you’d never get hurt but enjoying the feeling of risk.</p><p>He always went slower when he took her for flight, he knew how much of a de-stressor it was for her, and though they weren’t really dating, they cared for each other in a way they didn’t for anyone else.</p><p>But Wayne could still be an ass.</p><p>He readjusts her silently to hold her by her waist below him, horizontal.</p><p>She spreads her arms wide and smiles up at him, he meets her eyes and laughs, shaking his head.</p><p>He swoops and turns through the city, for a minute or two before he plunges real low to set them both down in front of Maggianos, a high-class Italian restaurant.</p><p>He fixes her hair lightly and smiles down at her, “By the way, like the get-up, very new for you.”</p><p>Metro Man shoots a wink her way and she chuckles, letting him take her arm and lead her into the restaurant.</p><p>They’re seated immediately, closer to the middle of the room than they normally would- undoubtedly so the breakup would be overheard.</p><p>A bottle of wine is brought to the table within a few seconds of them sitting, and they chat idly while looking over their menus.</p><p>“What are you getting?” She asks him, more out of boredom than curiosity.</p><p>He glances at her before setting his menu down neatly,  “Chicken Parmesean.”</p><p>Roxanne snorts and gives him an incredulous look, “You’re in a 5-star restaurant and you’re ordering Chicken Parm?”</p><p>Wayne smiles and puts his hands up defensively, “I’m a simple man, Roxie.”</p><p>She shakes her head, “I'll get the same thing, then. Twinsies.”</p><p>He chuckles and takes a sip of his wine.</p><p>They both order and the server nods and walks away, a disinterested look on their face.</p><p>“He was totally judging us,”  she whispers.</p><p>“Definitely,” Wayne snickers.</p><p>They sit in silence while they wait for their food, Roxanne reading over the drink menu and Wayne eating his salad.</p><p>“Thank you, “ Roxanne says as the waiter sets the food down on the table.</p><p>They nod again and leave.</p><p>Tough crowd.</p><p>“So…” Roxanne whispers as Wayne bites into a piece of chicken, "Do you know anything about the tax fraud going on in your parent's company or…?”</p><p>Wayne coughs into his napkin and sends her a shocked look.</p><p>“Tax fraud? Really?” he whisper yells back.</p><p>She nods, “Yep, know anything about it? Like at all? I’d assume it’s your dad but still, they’re both in trouble if it gets out.”</p><p>He shakes his head, “I had no clue, seriously. Should I like, talk to them or something?”</p><p>“No,” she starts as she chews her food, watching Wayne cringe.</p><p>“No,” she reiterates after swallowing, “If they know they’ll take other companies down with their info. I’ll try to stay out of their business in it but I’m not gonna act like they aren’t involved. If they figure out I'm digging they’re gonna tell their friends, I’m just giving you a heads up it might get messy.”</p><p>“Messy?” he asks.</p><p>She nods.</p><p>He scoffs, “Roxanne these are my parents. You can’t do this to them.”</p><p>“Then they shouldn’t get involved with tax fraud.”</p><p>Metro Man groans and leans back in his chair.</p><p>Roxanne sees some people staring at them and moves her hand down in a “be quiet “ signal.</p><p>He clears his throat and smiles, Roxanne still sees the frustration in his eyes.</p><p>“Listen,” she starts, “I’ll go after other companies first, I won't put anything out on them until I’ve got a few others exposed so that they can pull out as much as they can but I’m not staying silent on it. This is my job, Wayne.”</p><p>He lets out a heavy sigh, “I know that Roxie, but come on… for me?”</p><p>She shakes her head, firm, “No, Wayne. And you know I don’t like Roxie, call me Roxanne. Like I've been telling you to for years.”</p><p>He descends in the argument and goes back to eating in silence.</p><p>Roxanne stares at the blue tablecloths navy and rich.</p><p>She misses Megamind already.</p><p>She needs to get this over with.</p><p>She pulls her phone out under the table and starts typing, ignoring Wayne's look.</p><p><b>Me-</b> <em>Not to be a nuisance, but do you think you can hang out tonight?</em></p><p>She places her phone on the table next to her plate to wait for his response and takes a sip of her wine and another bite of chicken.</p><p><b>Megs- </b> <em> Yes, why? Date with Captain Spandex that boring? </em></p><p>She smiles and begins typing.</p><p><b>Me- </b> <em> No, I'm about to fake break up and I want out of here, I’d rather see you. </em></p><p>“One second, I have to use the restroom,” She tells Wayne.</p><p>He nods and stands to pull her chair out for her, she nods and thanks and walks to the bathroom, purse, and phone in hand.</p><p>There are not many people in the bathroom, so she only has to politely say "excuse me" a few times as she makes her way to an empty stall.</p><p>She hides in the last stall and waits for his response.</p><p>There’s a typing bubble for a few seconds and she waits impatiently, tapping her foot on the ground.</p><p><strong>Megs-</strong> <em>I can be there in 3 minutes</em></p><p><strong>Me-</strong> <em>Cool :) can you bring that motorcycle thing?</em></p><p><strong>Megs-</strong> <em>the hoverbike?</em></p><p><strong>Me-</strong> <em>yesss</em></p><p><strong>Megs-</strong> <em>if that’s what you require, temptress, then it’s yours</em></p><p>A shiver runs down her spine and she bites her lip</p><p><strong>Me-</strong> <em>see you in 3?</em></p><p><strong>Megs-</strong> <em>but of course</em></p><p>She smiles and leaves the stall, not bothering to wash her hands and using hand sanitizer from her purse instead.</p><p>She returns to the table and pulls her seat out and sits down.</p><p>Then, Roxanne clears her throat loud enough for the table next to them to hear and Wayne looks up at her.</p><p>“Wayne, I can’t do this anymore. I’m sorry but it’s too much,” She says, voice shaky.</p><p>He twists his face in confusion, “Are you breaking up?”</p><p>There are a few tables looking at them now and Roxanne is pretty sure one table is recording them</p><p>She nods and swallows hard.</p><p>“I- I just can’t with the kidnapping and opposing schedules and- everything really. I’m sorry.”</p><p>“I- this is hitting me right out of left field Roxie, seriously?” He asks.</p><p>“Seriously. I’m sure one day you’ll find someone who can keep up with this but I can’t.”</p><p>Wayne sighs and rubs his temple- always overdramatic and a bad actor.</p><p>She picks up her purse and places her phone in it, standing to leave.</p><p>“Goodbye, Wayne.”</p><p>“Roxie, no, come on!” He yells.</p><p>Okay, he is taking this a little too far, she thinks as the entire restaurant looks at them.</p><p>“Don’t make this harder than it has to be,” she says, and swiftly turns and leaves.</p><p>Her face is hot with embarrassment, <em>why did he have to yell?</em></p><p>She gets around the corner when an arm grabs hers and pulls her against them.</p><p>“We meet again, Temptress,” Megamind purrs in her ear.</p><p>She smiles as that shiver runs down her back again, hot and blazing.</p><p>He moves back and she nudges him further into the ally before she kisses him, one hand gripping his arm and the other cradling his cheek.</p><p>He trills and kisses her back with fervor, hands moving to grip her hips as he gently pushes her against the hoverbike.</p><p>The ally is dark but she doesn’t want the risk of being seen so soon after breaking up with Wayne, so she pulls back gently.</p><p>He straightens out, “Where to, Miss Ri- Roxanne?”</p><p>She thinks for a moment, “Can we see the old observatory? There won't be anyone there and I've wanted to look at the stars in Michigan for a while now.”</p><p>Megamind shifts, he had planned on gutting it soon for his trap, but this would be okay because it wasn’t going to start for another day.</p><p>He nods and spins the keys in his hand before swinging a leg over the seat.</p><p>“Anything for my Evil Queen.”</p><p>She watches him with excitement in her stomach, she gets to fly two times today.</p><p>Megamind turns and pats the seat behind him, she follows his instructions and lets him wrap her arms around his torso.</p><p>“Hold on tight,” He says.</p><p>Roxanne nods and squirms closer, pressing her thighs to the back of his and her chest against his back, nuzzling the side of her face against his cape-free back and looking around them.</p><p>He waits for her to stop moving before he revs the hoverbike, feeling it rumble neath them with a hot face.</p><p>Evil Gods, she was so close.</p><p>He peels off without thinking for much longer, heading straight for the observatory to avoid them being out for long enough to be seen- he didn’t want to ruin her reputation any more than he undoubtedly already was.</p><p>She watches the city from a thousand and a half feet in the sky.</p><p>Buildings rush past in a blur and there are occasional blurs of green from trees and bushes as they soar.</p><p>It’s a different feeling than flying with Wayne.</p><p>Flying with Wayne is a thrill, but it’s safe and there’s no buzzing high- it’s just free flying.</p><p>But with Megamind, she’s got this urge to be as close as possible to him while flying, not out of fear but desperation. There’s the heat of thrill tingling her entire body and she literally shivers in excitement as she presses herself against him.</p><p>He’s danger and thrill wrapped up in leather and formalities and under that danger he’s kind and she hopes to God that he loves her and it’’s not an elaborate plot.</p><p>Her legs press up against his at the thought and she pushes her face into him.</p><p>He slows down a little to talk over the roaring wind of the night, “Are you okay Mi- Roxanne?”</p><p>He’s got that concerned voice and she can feel genuine care in his hand when he takes one off of the handlebars and presses it against her arm- rubbing gently.</p><p>“Yeah, sorry, I'm just a little antsy,” she lies.</p><p>He nods and speeds up again, the engine rumbling loud as the observatory comes into sight</p><p>He parks on top of one of the buildings with roof access and helps her off before getting up himself, reaching into the side of the bag to pull out what looks like a locking picking kit.</p><p>Roxanne's theory is proven right when he kneels in front of the door and opens the case, pulling out two tiny rod looking things that Roxanne can now confirm are lockpicks and gets to work of twisting and pushing them in the keyholes of the door.</p><p>They open one by one until all three are unlocked as she watches.</p><p>He stands with a smile and puts the picks back into the case before placing them back into the satchel and opening the door for her.</p><p>Megamind extends an arm and Roxanne pulls out her phone for its flashlight, wrapping her arm around his elbow.</p><p>He blushes and walks with her down the stairs and through the corridors, arm in arm.</p><p>Megamind peers over, her expression is curious as she looks around the old dusted and stained halls, and he smiles fondly up at her.</p><p>She’s a little taller than him with the heels on, usually, she wears flats or small pumps, but Megamind doesn’t care as they walk in comfortable silence, her heels clicking against the tile floor.</p><p>He opens the door to the observatory and lets her walk-in first, watching her smile in excitement and immediately head towards the telescope after putting her phone flashlight-up on a table.</p><p>He looks around or the button that opens the doors, quickly locating it and pressing it.</p><p>The mechanics still work and the door slides open, showing the stars in the sky.</p><p>There aren’t nearly as many because of the light pollution of being in the city but Megamind still finds the stars beautiful- reminding him of a distant and torn apart home lost forever.</p><p>Roxanne takes the cap off of the telescope and peers into it, angling it to look around and over the coast.</p><p>Megamind walks to sit behind her and watch, something twisting in his hearts that wracks him with guilt.</p><p>He has to tell her, soon.</p><p>Not right now though.</p><p>“Do you know any of the constellations?”</p><p>She nods, moving from the telescope, “Ursa Major and Minor, the little and big dippers, Orion, Andromeda… Aries… That’s all I can remember. My brother was a total meathead and a car junkie but he was a nerd too, loved space. I always thought it was beautiful but I could never remember the names of the stars.”</p><p>He looks at her, “May I?”</p><p>She nods and moves away from the telescope, letting him turn it to find a constellation.</p><p>“This,” he says, stepping back and holding the telescope still, “is the 4 bright stars, they make up the Great Square.”</p><p>Roxanne glances at him before looking through the telescope, stars litter the sky. but she can tell which ones he's calling bright.</p><p>“Do you see Aries?” He mumbles.</p><p>“Yeah, and I think Pisces?”</p><p>“To the right is Pisces, yes, and to the North is the Andromeda Galaxy.”</p><p>He places his hand on her shoulders and she shivers- he yanks it back.</p><p>She pulls back to look at him, “You’re okay, you can touch me, leather on bare skin is startling when you aren’t expecting it, is all.”</p><p>He nods and runs his hand up her arm and onto her shoulder blades when she turns around.</p><p>“Do you see the Andromeda galaxy?” He clarifies.</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>“Okay, good. If you make a triangle in the top left corner using the Andromeda galaxy and Aries as two bases you should see Perseus as well. It’s shaped like an isosceles triangle with arms going diagonal and pointed down towards the Andromeda galaxy. Can you see it?”</p><p>He gives her a few moments.</p><p>“Uh, I think? Kinda? I don't know, can you focus the telescope on it?” She asks, voice timid.</p><p>He runs his hand down from her shoulder to her waist as she moves to the side to let him focus it.</p><p>When she peers back in she gasps, “Oh that’s what you meant… This is Perseus?”</p><p>“Yes. He was a Greek demi-god married to Andromeda, he killed Medusa in her sleep and used her head as a weapon.”</p><p>“Didn’t Andromeda only marry him because she’d be killed by a monster otherwise?”</p><p>Megamind nods, “Yes, not very romantic. I never liked many artists' rendition of it.”</p><p>Roxanne pulls back from the telescope, “I never liked that people insisted Persephone and Hades were romantic- she was his niece and had Stockholm.”</p><p>Megamind grimaces, “I was never too fond of that one, either.”</p><p>She smiles at him, “Glad to know you weren’t waiting me out with pomegranate seeds.”</p><p>He flushes, “Of course not, I could never do that to you…”</p><p>She steps further back from the telescope, “Could you show me another?”</p><p>Megamind nods, looking at her in the dim light of her phone, “Of course, Roxanne. Anything.”</p><p>He shows her Lacerta, Pisces, and Cassiopeia before they both sit down in front of an old double monitor computer desk.</p><p>He looks at the sky through the hole in the wall, thinking idly of what she may bring him in his life.</p><p>Happiness or misery.</p><p>Megamind sighs, he needs to tell her, but he has a question first.</p><p>“Does Metroman know I’m why you ended the fake relationship?” He asks.</p><p>She nods, leaning her head against her arm, slung over the desk.</p><p>“He took it… okay. He was a little peeved but he said he was okay with it… he said he doesn’t think you’re evil like you think you are.” She tells him.</p><p>He turns to her, eyes cast down to meet hers.</p><p>“Really? Did he not tell you I'm dangerous and warn you? He’s always told people that.”</p><p>Roxanne nods and swallows thickly, “He told me you stabbed someone over a property dispute, someone told him like 4 years ago.”</p><p>“That wasn’t a property dispute. Somebody said that one of the ladies I work with should be his whore and I told him she wasn’t property. I hadn’t known him well and told him to stay in his place- he pulled a gun on me so I threw a knife at him. The property being disputed was a woman, not an object to be bought or sold.” he tells her, eyeing her carefully.</p><p>Her face stays the same, content but curious- he isn’t sure what it means in this situation.</p><p>Is she content with him but curious about his past?</p><p>Content about him stabbing someone but curious why he’d tell her?</p><p>“Sounds about right,” she mumbles, closing her eyes.</p><p>He furrows his eyebrows, “What do you mean?”</p><p>Roxanne shrugs, “As in I doubt you’d stab someone for something as dumb as them loitering- I figured there was more. Yeah, the stabbing is a little concerning but it was 4 years ago-”</p><p>“5” he cuts in, "5 years ago."</p><p>She opens her eyes to shoot him an amused look, “yes, 5 years ago. But like I was saying, you aren’t as hot-headed now as you were then. Then you would charge into battles with Metro Man with like, no safety precautions. It used to scare the shit out of me. I never thought you deserved to get tossed like a ragdoll.“</p><p>He scoffs, “Hot-headed? I wasn’t hot-headed, I was just reckless.”</p><p>“What made that change?”</p><p>He looks at her confused, “What?”</p><p>“Why did you stop being so reckless?”</p><p>He stays quiet for a moment.</p><p>“You got hurt..”</p><p>She sits up, “That’s what did it? I would’ve thought it was you almost dying.”</p><p>He scoffs again, “I didn’t almost die, Miss Ritchi. I was fine- just a little beat up.”</p><p>She touches his arm- he flinches back.</p><p>“Megamind… You were unconscious for a day, one of the guards told me. I’m not dumb either, I saw how rough you looked.”</p><p>There’s compassion in her voice and his hearts pull.</p><p>He groans, “Who was it?”</p><p>“Don’t worry about it…” Roxanne mumbles.</p><p>He gives in and brushes it off, for now, he’ll ask around later.</p><p>But right now, he needs to tell her.</p><p>“Miss- Roxanne, there’s something else I need to tell you..”</p><p>She nods, leaning on the desk again.</p><p>He clears his throat, “Well um… First, I have to explain something. My people are very… emotionally drawn. We value intelligence highly, but emotion is part of what makes us, us. When we have very strong feelings for someone, we bond in a very strong way.”</p><p>Megamind meets her eyes.</p><p>“So, are you telling me this so I know what I’m getting into?” she asks.</p><p>“I’m telling you this so you can be honest with this question I’m about to ask you because now you have a semblance of what the repercussions are. Do you genuinely have feelings for me? Is this something that you can live with? With me? Is… Is this all for an article or for one last plot with Metroman, to take me out once and for all?” He pleads.</p><p>His eyes look glassy and there’s desperation carved all over his face.</p><p>Roxanne frowns, “Of course. Megamind I wouldn’t go this far for an article. Flirting? Sure. But this? This is me quite literally running off with you. It may not be far, but I’d rather spend every night like this and see you happy than get an article or one last battle.</p><p>“I can’t say I'm shocked you’re thinking like this though, I’ve been mulling over whether or not this is for a scheme most of the day.”</p><p>He looks at her incredulously, “Much like you, Mi- Roxanne, I have standards. This is far too low to stoop for a plot.”</p><p>She smiles up at him, “So this is real. We both mean it.”</p><p>“Yes, of course.”</p><p>She leans up, pressing her lips to his for a moment before pulling back.</p><p>His heart aches at the loss of contact.</p><p>Damnit, he has to tell her.</p><p>“Roxanne, there’s something else I have to tell you.”</p><p>He watches her face twist in confusion again.</p><p>“I.. I started bonding to you years ago… It was never very strong but it was enough to have protective instincts over you and to feel lonely when you were gone. But… Last week changed them.”</p><p>She stares at him with wide eyes.</p><p>Evil Gods, she was going to break it off.</p><p>“It- It hurts, to be without or away from you. I’m emotionally paired to you. I'm normal me with you, but away I don't do too well, especially with how stressed I've been about your intentions.”</p><p>Roxanne makes a noise of confusion, “Like, you can feel my emotions?”</p><p>Megamind shakes his head, “No, It’s… more of a dependence thing. It’s a very strong response to love and can happen for any kind of love. I've platonically- or sibling love bonded with Minion. But with you... It’s grown from platonic to romantic and it’s going to get stronger and stronger until we’re far apart for long enough for me to break it- which takes some time.</p><p>“So… So this is me asking you, full in, is this something you really, genuinely want? To be with me? To be with the monster that scares children, the monster who kidnaps you and fights your friend? Am I someone you can be with? Even if romance doesn’t work out and it’s just as friends?”</p><p>Roxanne swallows, “I- of course. Of course, I will- there’s no one like you. And there never will be.”</p><p>He kisses her, overcome with emotion and nerves, hands shaking as he grips her face.</p><p>She pulls back with a smile, eyes glinting from the stars behind him.</p><p>The stars in her eyes that will lead him to his salvation and bring him happiness, in his very own Beatrice.</p><p>Leading him from his purgatory and to his paradise, happiness.</p><p>She’s made her choice.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Let me know what y'all thought, please :))</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Please leave a review or feedback of some sort bc if I continue this it'd be helpful :)</p><p>u can also request stuff and I might do it lmao</p></blockquote></div></div>
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